In this film, it seems that the adrenaline loss is looking for an ice skater. This epinephrine has already been lost in a huge winter storm in the back of the Upper Sierra. Now, this gliding man has been pushed to the limits of human endurance but forced to fight his own demons to stay in that place.
A sense of filmic movement is missing, keeping "6 Below" unremarkable in many ways, and its last-minute transformation into an inspirational movie is unearned.
Given the story is based on reality, it's understandable why the makers of 6 Below didn't want to throw in embellishments, but a bear attack really wouldn't have gone amiss.
Stylistically, it's strictly made-for-TV trauma-drama stuff, but it's hard not to admire Hartnett's tenacity in what was surely a physically challenging role and wonder why he hasn't had a better career arc.
It manages to hit the appropriate beats of this snowbound survival tale (digs ice shelters, scares off wolves, drinks meltwater) while also being incredibly dull.
Despite some appealing lensing and an edgier tone than a lot of Christian dramas (nudity, swearing, and in one memorable moment, self-cannibalism), this is a movie with zero subtext and even less subtlety.
"6 Below" ultimately can't rise above the swelling inspirational score or the flat adaptation by Madison Turner, which mechanically pivots between the mountaintop and flashbacks from LeMarque's dysfunctional past.